The three principles underpinning the circular economy, according to the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, are to design out waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use and regenerate natural systems. This concept constantly challenges companies and society in general to reuse products and materials and thereby help mitigate climate change and the regeneration of ecosystems.
Promoting the circular economy is an essential contribution to meeting the needs of society at large within the limits of the planet.
The application of circular economy principles in Corticeira Amorim's value chain has focused on the following actions:
During the production process at Corticeira Amorim, 100% of the cork is used, even the smallest granules are used as an important source of energy.
Corticeira Amorim has therefore implemented an integrated production process that allows and promotes the reuse of all by-products associated with cork processing - “nothing is lost, everything is valued”, is one of the Company's main strategies and challenges, since 1963, to end up with waste or cork residues, thus optimizing the added value of all raw materials.
The cork valorisation strategy motivated the development of cork stopper recycling initiatives with strong adhesion on the five continents.
In addition to making full use of cork, Corticeira Amorim always chooses to use recycled materials from other industries, whenever this is feasible, and thereby saves natural resources on the planet and reduces the problems associated with their disposal.
Such management of the consumption of materials is only possible thanks to the characteristics of the raw material - cork, which can be 100% used and can foster synergies with other materials or by-products from other industries, thereby expanding the diversity of applications.
One of the most significant impacts of companies' activities on the environment is in the form of waste. Corticeira Amorim respects the hierarchy with regard to waste in order to avoid, reuse and recycle it as much as possible, preventing it from being sent to landfill.
Consumption of recycled or renewable materials reduces the overall environmental impact of the final product and meets commitments to sustainable development and sustainable procurement. At Corticeira Amorim, more than 80% of the materials consumed are sustainable (renewable or recycled) and more than 90% of the non-cork waste generated is recycled.
